Switch-throwing mechanism



May 15, 1923.

3 G. STILLE SWITCH THROWING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 14,

WITNESS;

I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 b A 2 l &

George 5w 7/e INVENTOR ATTO RNEY G. STlLLE SWITCH THROWING MECHANISM May 15, 1923.

Filed F eb. 14. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 George 5r/'//e INVENTOR ATTORNEY TZ M Q WITNESS:

May 15, 1923. 1,455,678

G. STILLE SWITCH THROWING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 14. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 mmn nnnnll INVENTOR WITNESS:

- ATTORNEY Patented May 15:, 1923.

entries TATiFfi rate.

rarest SIVI'I'CH-TI-IROIVING MEGHANISM.

Application filed February 14, 1922. Serial 11 0. 536,522.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. GEORGE STILLE, a citizen of the United States. residing at Staunton. in the county of Macoupin and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Switch-Throwing Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to switch throwing mechanism, designed especially for use in shifting cars operating in mines.

One object is to provide a motor car or engine with a controlling element for cooperation with certain track and switch construction hereinafter disclosed, in such manner, that the switch may be thrown, in the event that it is desired to pass thereover in a direction opposite to that in which the switch is setthat is to pass to a siding when the switch is set for the main line, and vice versa.

A further object is to provide a double acting switch throwing device enabling the motorman to make a running switch, and cause the motor car to proceed along the main line. and the coal cars, uncoupled, to make a siding as in the case of disposing of empty cars at the bottom of a mine shaft.

A further object is to provide, under other conditions a single acting operating element designed for use on switches oft-tracks leading from the main line into mine entries.

A still further object is to provide for throwing the switch controlling member on the car to neutral position, when .it is desired to take the switch in the position in which it has been previously set. v

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of the track and switch mechanism and of the controlling element, as hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that modifications may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of invention. I

.In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view, the pivotally mounted throw bar on the car being in a position to throw the switch to permit of the car following the main line.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. 1

Figure 7 is a plan view of a track construction, illustrating a slight modification.

A motor car, of the type used for the purpose specified, is shown conventionally. and is designated 10. The principal element of the controlling mechanism carried by the car or engine, is the pivotally mounted bar 12, the pivotal point 13 being intermediate of the forward and rear trucks. gradually reduced cross section from the This bar is of I central portion toward the opposite ends,

and the extreme ends are beveled to produce blade like members.

The forward platform of the car is designated l6 and the flooring is provided with a slot 17 through which a vertically extending bar 18 projects. This bar is rigidly mounted at 19 in the operating or controlling bar and serves as a handle or lever for throwing that bar. In order to retain the handle in neutral position, I provide a hinged and notched element 20, mounted as shown and adapted to be swung into position for engaging the handle and retaining the operating bar in line with the main longi tudinal axis of the motor car. retain the bar 12 in an operative position, in either direction in which it may be thrown, I provide a compression spring 23 which encircles a rod 24 carrying an apertured ele- In order to ment 25 on one end, this element serving to connect the ba with the motormans operating handle. The opposite end of the compression spring bears against the apertured element 25, and the bar enters the apertures I in this element, and is freely movable therein. When the motormans operating handle is thrown to either'side, and the corresponding end of bar 12 is similarly thrown to cause the set bar 12'to assume a position diagonally of the car bottom, the spring is compressed a'sthe central point is passed,

and then relaxes to retain the element in the desired position, that in operative position. Proceeding to the description of the track -mechanism and switch, a portion of the main line is designated 30,'and a portion 01" a siding is shown at 31. The switch points are designated 32 and 33; A bar 34 extends transversely of the switch points and is pivotally secured thereto-atthe points 35 and 36, by means of bolts passing through the flanges 37 and 38,

A long switch bar 40 is pivotally mounted at 41 on a stationary element, such as a cross tie, this bar 40 being provided with a downwardly" extending pin or the like 42 engaging a notch 43 in the transverse bar connecting the switch points. nected with one end of bar 40 is a rod 45, one'endoi which passes through apertured guiding element 46 rigidly secured to a tie,

" the rod'just referred to being encircled by a compression spring 47, the spring bearing against the 'ap'ertured element and against the enlarged portion of the rod on which the spring is mounted. This constructionjust referred to is similar to that employed in connection with the long pivoted bar carried byxthe bottom of the car, but in this instance serves to retain bar 40 in either position in which it may be thrown. In opposite ends of bar are the pins 48 and 49, these pins being engaged by'bar 12 on the carbottom, in the event that that bar is thrown out of neutral position, that is thrown to operative position in either direction. It will be noted that bar 40 is pivoted at a point near the switch point, but slightly spaced therefrom, and that one of the pins carried by thebar 40 is in a position between one of the rails of the siding and one of the rails of the main track. The bar 12, if in neutral position, passes between pins 48 and 49, neither one being engaged, so that the switch is not thrown.

Atrans verse bar 52'is provided with a cutaway portion 53 having abrupt walls 54 and 55 against which the element 56 on the lower side of bar 40'contact when this end of bar 40 is thrown'to either position.

, If the switch is set for the siding, and the motormansswitch controlling handle is thrown toward the right side of the car, the pin 48 on bar 40lirst engaged by operating bar '12'will be in the position shown inv Figure 1. Owing to the diagonal position of bar '12, the engagement between this element and the pin just referred will throw bar '40 I and throw the switch points to the opposite position so that the motor car may take the main line, the coal or'ore car being then =uncoupled,a-nd the motor car proceeding, bar :12 will come into engagement with the :pin on the opposite end of bar 40.and will reverse-thelposition of the switchpoints, so that the coal cars willt-ake the siding, as in the case of disposing of empty cars at the bottom of a mineshaft. 1 5 1 Upon reversing the motor car but not re- Pivotally conversing the switch controlling handle, the pin on bar 40, last referred to is firstengaged and the position of the switch point is reversed, so that the car may move in the opposite direction on the main line, to any point-beyond the siding. The pm at the opposite end 'of'bar 40 is next engaged, and

' the switch points are restored to original position, the switch being set for the siding.

' If the switch is set for the main lin'e, and the car is moving toward the left, as shown in the drawing, is 't-oftalre the siding, the motormans handle 18 1S thrown to the left,

and the pin 48 on bar '40 first engaged, throws this bar andthe switch points to opposite positiomthe car proceeds towards the siding, andfpassing the other pin 49 011 bar 40 engages that'pin and the switch is restored,

leaving the main line cleared.

3 The short switch bar 50 is used on switches leading into the mine entries from the main track. This bar 50 carries a single pin 50 and the switch is thrown once, and is not restored.

claim Having thus described my invention, I

1. The combination with a plurality of I switch points and elements connecting the same, of a bar pivotally mounted between the switch points and acting to throw said:

connectingelement and switch points, en

gaging devices carried by the bar, a second bar pivoted to the bar first named, a guiding element through which the free end of the second bar passes, and a spring bearing against the guiding element and acting to retain the bar first named at an angle with reference to the second bar,"'and retaining the switch points in either they are thrown. J

2. The combination with a bar controlling a track switch and engaging devices car ried by the bar, of car carried means coposition in, which a track switch and engaging devices carried by the bar, of car carried means coop; crating with said engaging devices, successively, for moving the switch points toward 1 and away I from adjacent rails of a track,

said car carried "means including a bar pivoted for movement in a horizontal plane,

and means for retaining the bar last-"named in a plurality of operative positions.

4; The combination with a bar controlling a track'switchand engaging devices carried f by the bar, of car carried means cooperating withsaid engaging devices, successively, for

moving the switch points toward "and away i from adjacent rails of a track, said car carried means including a bar pivoted for movement in a horizontal plane, means for retaining the bar last named in neutral position, and means for retaining this bar in a plurality of operative positions.

5. The combination with a bar controlling a track switch and engaging devices carried by the bar, of car carried means cooperating with said engaging devices, successively, for moving the switch points toward and away from adjacent rails of a track, and means for retaining the bar in a plurality of operative positions.

6. The combination with a bar controlling a track switch and engaging devices carried by the bar, of car carried means cooperating with said engaging devices, successively, for

moving the switch points toward and away from adjacent rails of a track, and means including a pivoted element and a spring for retaining the bar in a plurality of operative positions.

7. The combination with a bar controlling a track switch and engaging means carried by the bar, of car carried means cooperating with the engaging means and including a bar movable to position for contacting with the engaging means and movable to neutral position, and a pivoted rod and spring for retaining each bar in the position in which it is thrown.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GEORGE STILLE. 

